Alpha Media Among All Area Arts Awards Winners

l-r Amy Spadafore, Dave Maurer (Alpha Media), Demona Reed, Charles Hoover (source: Saginaw Arts and Enrichment Commission)

The Saginaw Arts & Enrichment Commission celebrated the 31st Annual All Area Arts Awards Thursday night, recognizing individuals, businesses, and non-profit organizations that have enhanced the Quality of Life in Saginaw County through their support of the arts.

Alpha Media was presented with the Great Lakes Bay Regional Arts Award. In announcing the award, Saginaw Enrichment Commission Marketing Director Marsha Braun wrote, “Alpha Media has provided decades of continuous in-kind media support for arts organizations, entertainment venues, and individuals involved in the arts. The family of diverse stations provide news coverage, talk show interview opportunities, public service announcements, promotional messages, public appearances, remote broadcasts and much more. WSGW, a local leader for news and information, has been recognized by the National Association of Broadcasters for their outstanding commitment to community service. The station dedicates time, talent and resources to support local arts and cultural organizations who have benefited from their ongoing dedication to providing interview opportunities and daily program announcements.”

The other 2021 All Area Arts Awards Winners included Demona Reed, a music teacher in Saginaw Public Schools and other districts for more than 40 years. Reed teaches piano and vocal coaching in her own studio, provides free concerts and scholarships for music training. She has also volunteered her time for 19 years to teach music and choir for a 12-week Super Summer Program for at-risk youth. She has produced multiple sons and albums, including a series of animated sing-along videos for early childhood character development. Many of her former students have gone on to their own careers in music.

Award recipient Amy Spadafore is Managing Director of Saginaw’s Pit & Balcony Theatre, who has worked with teachers and local artists to build educational programs, found new ways to present programming during the pandemic, and with her ability to build positive relationships, led Pit & Balcony to celebrate its first black director this year. Spadafore is a founding member of ACE, the Arts & Cultural Engagement Collaborative, and is a graduate of the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs Rising Leaders program.

Also honored was Charles Hoover, the former director of the Saginaw County Historical Society and the Castle Museum, who has dedicated his life to historic preservation and the history and culture of the Great Lakes. In his former position, Hoover advocated for the preservation of the Castle Museum building, a cherished local landmark and home to thousands of Saginaw’s cultural artifacts. He was also the driving force behind the Voyageurs reenactor program, a unique all volunteer living history program sharing stories, historical song and dance to people throughout Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Ontario. Hoover has been recognized by the National Park Service and the City of Detroit for his efforts as program coordinator for Detroit’s 300th Anniversary.

Patron Sponsors of the All Area Arts Awards are Garber Automotive, Hausbeck Pickle Company, Ruth Ann Knapp, Thor & Joylynn Rasmussen, Saginaw Valley State University, The State Bank, Wildfire Credit Union, and W.L. Case & Company Funeral Directors.